Paul R Lower

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Fun Facts About 'Ghostbusters'

Columbia Pictures via Everett Collection
"Who you gonna call?" If you had shouted that anywhere in the country during the summer of 1984, a multitude of voices would've screamed "Ghostbusters!" back at you.
The paranormal comedy starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman was an immediate smash with its mix of broad humor and special effects hitting a home run with kids and their parents. You probably remember the giant Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man that nearly destroys New York, but here are some fun facts that you might not know.
When Aykroyd was originally writing his script for the movie he intended for John Belushi and Eddie Murphy to play Peter Venkman and Winston, the roles that eventually went to Murray and Ernie Hudson. Belushi died while he was still working on the script and the shooting schedule for Beverly Hills Cop forced Murphy to drop out.
John Candy was cast initially in the role of Louis, who becomes possessed by the Keymaster. Candy quit after Reitman wouldn't let him do the character his way, which included speaking with a German accent. He was replaced by Rick Moranis, who was Candy's longtime costar on SCTV.
It's all in the marketing. The initial advertising for the movie was simply posters with the "No Ghost" logo, followed by the Ghostbusters' car (Ecto-1) being driven around New York City without explanation.
After the movie opened, Reitman created a trailer out of the commercial in the film which gave a working 800 number. The number led to a message of Murray and Aykroyd saying that they were out catching ghosts. It reportedly received an average of 1,000 calls an hour every hour for six weeks.
Stay-Puft Marshmallows is not a real product, but in the movie there's a pack of them in Sigourney Weaver's apartment as well as a billboard on the side of a building advertising them.
Rietman was originally planning on doing a film version of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. When the director and his producing partners contacted Aykroyd about being part of the project he instead pitched them his ghost movie.
The famous theme song by Ray Parker Jr. was number one on the Billboard charts for three weeks. Parker has said in interviews that he was inspired to write the song as a jingle in line with the commercial in the film after he saw a TV spot for a local plumber while trying to overcome a bout of writer's block. Huey Lewis apparently disagreed with that version of events since he sued Parker claiming that the melody plagiarized his song "I Want a New Drug." The dispute was resolved by an out-of-court settlement.
On the DVD commentary, Rietman confirms that Aykroyd's original script was set in the future where there were teams of Ghostbusters all over the world, with sci-fi touches like the Ecto-1 flying, and would've been too expensive to shoot. Ramis, who co-wrote Animal House and Caddyshack, was brought in to tone down Aykroyd's vision.
Ramis originally wasn't going to act in the movie, even though he had previously starred with Murray in Reitman's Stripes. He joined the cast after he formed a close association with the character while writing the script.
Ramis' character Dr. Egon Spengler was named after German philosopher Oswald Spengler who wrote The Decline of the West, which argued that all civilizations eventually break down.
Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) was originally offered the role of Gozer the Destructor. After he declined, the role was reworked and went to Yugoslavian model Slavitza Jovan.
Michael Keaton was in discussions for both the Venkman and Louis roles but turned them both down. Chevy Chase was also considered for Venkman, while Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Walken were among those talked about as possible Egons. Comedian Sandra Bernhard was offered the role of the Ghostbusters secretary that eventually went to Annie Potts, while Michael McKean was one of the other actors considered to replace Candy in the Louis role.
A real jail was used for the scene where the Ghostbusters are locked up, and Aykroyd believed the location to actually be haunted.
The exterior for the Ghostbusters headquarters is the real Hook and Ladder No. 8 Firehouse in the famous Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. The location was almost closed as part of the city's budget cuts in 2011, but was one of 19 firehouses saved in a restructured plan by then Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The movie was the first to have veteran broadcaster Larry King appear as himself, while porn actor Ron Jeremy and pop songstress Debbie Gibson were both extras during the filming.
The scene where Weaver levitates was done in the same manner as a magician uses in a stage show. Reitman had worked with illusionist Doug Henning on the Broadway show Merlin and was familiar with how the trick was done.
Actor William Atherton, who plays the Ghostbusters' nemesis Walter Peck, has long claimed in interviews that for years after the movie was released he would have people yelling at him on the street for his treatment of Murray and company. He said that it even led to physical altercations in bars. Atherton went on to play sleazy reporter Richard Thornburg in Die Hard and Die Hard 2.
The ghost that wreaks havoc on the Sedgewick Hotel didn't have a name in the script. The model that was used on set was nicknamed "Onion Head" because of its smell and Aykroyd joked that it was the ghost of Belushi. Fans of the movie started calling it Slimer and the name stuck, eventually being used in the animated series that the movie spawned.
Unbeknownst to the producers, Filmation had made a short-lived animated series in 1975 called The Ghost Busters. Heading off a potential lawsuit, Columbia paid Filmation a fee for using the name.
Murray agreed to do the movie only if Columbia Pictures would provide the funding for a film version of the W. Somerset Maugham novel The Razor's Edge that he would star in. Murray's pet project was released later in 1984 and made $6.6-million at the box office. Ghostbusters grossed more than $238-million in the United States alone.
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The CW
The Tomorrow People has some amazing action sequences and really great super-powers. It has more of an edge than supernatural shows like Charmed or The Vampire Diaries. And yet, it doesn’t have the same resonance as Vampire Diaries or even The Carrie Diaries. One problem is the main cast is a crew of sexy robots. The series is lucky because there is a lower ratings threshold to stay on the air, but, can the show make the important changes to actually build a following?
Here are some helpful changes the series can make to improve their following.
More Actors
Veronica Mars star Jason Dohring and Carly Pope are some great guest stars. Shameless star Laura Wiggins would also be a great addition to the regular cast as nerdy Irene. The three leads are super hot but the show needs more compelling actors. Robbie Amell, Peyton List, and Luke Mitchell would be just as interesting standing around in their underwear saying nothing. Unlike Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder they are all sizzle and no steak. It’s sad that they recently killed off Ultra agent Darcy (Meta Golding) because she was proving to be an interesting character.
Celebrity Cameos
It’s great that The CW likes to cast new actors and make their own celebrities. However, science-fiction fans have tons of cult-favorite actors that aren’t working right now. Heroes capitalized on Star Trek fandom by casting actors like George Takei and Nichelle Nichols. Why not cast actors from cult faves like The 4400, Firefly, or even Buffy the Vampire Slayer?
Play Up The Double Agent Angle...Intelligently
Part of the appeal of the pilot was that it promised an Alias-style tension as high school student Stephen (Amell) does double duty as secret agent and second coming to the underground community of Tomorrow People. However, Stephen keeps getting caught and a blind person could see that he’s not to be trusted. It would be great if Stephen was actually at risk of getting caught.
More Sex
Stephen and Cara (List) finally consummating their flirtation is nice because it added much needed tension to the show. It was clear to everyone that they were going to knock boots so why not just cut to the chase already.
Don’t Save Mysteries for Later
So far we don’t know much about The Tomorrow People or their history. Waiting too long to reveal secrets might be a little risky. Let’s face it there might not be more than one season so why not just put the pedal to the metal and actually have some super-powered fun.
Inject Some Humor, Stat
The series needs a little levity and humor. It’s enough to suspend belief that people can have super powers or that a teenager can be a secret agent. However, it’s impossible to believe that a bunch of people with no sense of humor could end up on television. The series could afford to be a little more tongue-in-cheek and stop taking itself so seriously.
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Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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Getty
Those diligent followers of improvisational comedy will likely know the names Jessica Chaffin and Jamie Denbo, the Boston-born comedians who have taken to the stage internationally and created and starred in the satirical Ronna and Beverly television series. Speaking to Chaffin and Denbo, who appear in memorable roles in the acclaimed comedy The Heat, we instantly understand how their partnership allowed their careers to blossom: the two play off one another like lifelong friends. Chalking this up to a common language and, even more simply, the ability to make one another laugh, Chaffin and Denbo have a lot to say about comedy in general.
With experience in sketch comedy, television, and film — working in cities like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and London — Chaffin and Denbo are a requisite for any aspiring comic looking to learn all that he or she can about the craft. The pair gave us some insight about their origins and using them to construct a brand of comedy that seems to transcend cultural barriers, about working on director Paul Feig's outstanding Sandra Bullock/Melissa McCarthy buddy cop comedy (which is now available on Blu-ray), and about the rattling conversation that seems to follow movies like The Heat about whether or not women are funny. The discussion will enlighten you.
On the beginnings of their partnership and working together in the comedy world…
Jessica Chaffin: We both grew up just outside of Boston. I grew up in Newton, Jamie grew up in Swampscott. My grandmother actually lived in the town next to Jamie's, so we were kind of living these parallel childhoods even though we didn't know each other. But we had, basically, all the same kinds of influences and references and knew the same kinds of women. Twenty years later or 15 years later, we both found ourselves in New York doing improv. Jamie did improv in college —
Jamie Denbo: Anything that doesn’t involve homework, or memorization.
JC: I was the exact opposite. I was doing homework a lot, and not doing comedy. And then we both ended up at the UCB Theater, so that's how we met initially. Jamie got there a year before me, so we weren't always performing together. We'd do special shows together. Actually, one of the shows that we did together — before we started doing Ronna and Beverly, which was several years later — was this show called Wicked F**kin Queeyah, where all the improvisers from Boston would do a show together during the Del Close Marathon. And I would say that's probably where our common language found its first footing.
Then we both moved to L.A. around the same time. It was Christmas in L.A., and the guy that was running — the artistic director at the time, Seth Morris, a very talented and funny comedian and actor in his own right — said, "Hey, are you Jews gonna be around?" And we said yes, and he said, "Do you wanna do a show called Kosher Christmas?" So we said, "Let's do something together." We had never done something together, but I think we had admired each other from across the room."
In Boston, there's this thing called the Matzo Ball. I think they do it in a lot of major cities. Christmas Eve is like Jewish Valentine's Day. So basically, all the Jews go out that night. Your mother drops you off and hopes you get the number of a pre-med student — a pre-pre-med student, meaning a 16-year-old who may or may not have done very well on his SATs. So what really happens is, you go there and you're like, "I thought I hated all these boys and now I hate them more." Jamie and I both have non-Jewish partners. But I would say that's how we exorcised those demons. [But] where do you put it all? It became Ronna and Beverly. We basically said we wanted to do something that has to do with singles. We ate a tube of cookie dough and talked about it. She was like, "I wanna be this person," and I was like, "I wanna be this person." We decided to basically make fun of these women who had been making us laugh for our entire lives.
On transforming their backgrounds into a career in comedy…
It's a funny circle. We left Boston to go be performers… and now, all these years later, the things that still make us laugh harder than anything are the people that we grew up around. So, we joke that we play either really high status Jewish mothers or we play scumbags. We were very lucky to get to do that in The Heat.
JD: We get to do both with Paul Feig, which is pretty great.
JC: He directed our pilot for Showtime in 2009. That's how we met him. We've continued a relationship with him, and he produced our show that we did in England — the Ronna and Beverly show — but also, he put us in The Heat and gave us a forum to do our nonsense. It was great. We had a terrific time.
JD: They always say in comedy, the more specific, the more universal. I think what happens when you get really specific about where you're from or who you are, something in that is able to reach people about their own specific quirks, and they just enjoy it for what it is. I say that because we've had such a diverse audience. Specifically for Ronna and Beverly, where we've done Telluride Comedy Festivals year after year, and we've performed all over England and had a television series there. These are not places where you'd think, "Oh, they'll completely understand Boston and Jews." I don't know that they do. But something in it connects with them. And the overbearing matriarch, the judgmental matriarch, the embarrassing matriarch — those are universal. So, when you fill it with your specifics, you're able to surprise them with new jokes. It's been really fun for us to introduce the world to the quirky, quirky, crazy stuff that is very specific to Boston Jews. It's a WASPy kind of Jew.
JC: I was going to say… everyone thinks [of] New Yorkers. "That's a Jew." No, there's Southern Jews and Boston Jews and Chicago Jews. There's such a specific thing to each of those… in Boston, actually, people assimilated much more quickly than they did in New York, probably because there were fewer of them. You had to just jump into the stream, whereas in New York there was a bit more of a ghettoization. The Lower East Side, or Brooklyn, or whatever. I'm getting too deep into the etymology of that kind of language. Basically, one [universality] is the matriarchal archetype that Jamie is talking about. But also, ultimately, the reason why these women are so funny to us is because it's the complete lack of self-awareness and self-consciousness about what they do. They feel completely entitled to their opinion at all times, and they feel that everybody should either know it or share it. What we're essentially doing, because we are young people playing old people, is satire. It's happening on two levels. Yeah, it's funny to watch those old women, but we put it through the prism of how we feel about how they behave, or how they treat us, or how racist they are, or whatever it is. That's what it is, I think, that people respond to.
On bringing their comedy to film, specifically in The Heat…
JC: I think that was always great about it. You work on a huge movie, with a huge budget, and huge movie stars. I actually think this is a real credit to Paul — you could be doing a Funny or Die video for free, or for like 12 bucks, or you could be working on a huge multimillion dollar movie, and the actual act of doing the part, the process, feels very similar. I give credit to Paul, making everybody feel comfortable, and giving you the arena to do what you do best.
JD: I also think that it starts on the page. The great thing about The Heat is that it was a great script and it was something in the area of what we do and already connect with. So we were really able to have a blast feeling confident that we could bring what we already knew to the table, and make whatever adjustments we had to make. Driving Sandra Bullock crazy, her character — that's not a situation that we've had onstage. We haven't had the opportunity to make her nuts or intimidate her or try to make her laugh. It was so fun to be able to do that, it really was. Honestly, especially now that I've just seen Gravity, I'm like, "We f**ked with her! That was fun!"
JC: I also think shooting in Boston [made] the whole thing so cool. It's the greatest set that you can dress: the entire city. You get to see these characters in their natural habitat. It's this weird "What's real and what's not real?" thing. I think that was super fun and super satisfying. Actually, that's why I think Joey McIntyre is so fabulous in the movie, too.
JD: What a doll.
JC: He brings such an authenticity to it.
JD: He never let that part of him fall by the wayside. That's just who he is. It's something he's proud of.
On Paul Feig's understanding of the language of comedy…
JD: He's really, really brilliant, and has incredibly confidence in his performers. I don't say that because he just lets everybody run wild. There's a reason he has chosen to work with Melissa McCarthy over and over and over again. Part of that is because he is very confident that when he lets her do what she does, he's going get everything and more. I'm not saying he's not a control freak. It is a controlled environment. But at the same time, he lets people have a certain amount of control, and it makes you a confident performer. It's this great circle of confidence.
JC: I remember the first day. The very first thing we shot in the movie was my scene when I come down the stairs. You had Melissa — who is such a formidable talent, and who you admire and adore, and who is boundary-less in how far she'll take something — and Sandra — who is a huge movie star. On the one hand, it's really intimidating. On the other hand, Jamie and I work together all the time and have a common language. All the boys that were on the [set] — Nate Corddry is a really old friend of ours, Joey is a really old friend of ours. Bill [Burr] we met there, but it was immediate. We get each other. So on the one hand, you're totally comfortable, on the other hand, it's terrifying. You never know, when you have a small part, how much you can do — that's one of the things actors don't talk about. You just show up and think everyone is friendly and nice and awesome. When you have a small part, you just want to go and do it and get it done with and not f**k anything up for anybody else. I said to Paul, "I just need to know where the boundaries are. How far can I go? How much time can I take? Just let me know what you want me to do." And he said, "I want you to be yourself. Take it as far as you can." When I was coming down the stairs, he kept being like, "Even slower, even slower." Like, the slowest walk down the stairs that you can possibly do. I don't think I even quite got there. But that was so freeing. And to do such a crazy melee of a scene — Jamie is running out of the car, and we're getting in a fight. We probably did that for three hours. I think that set the pace for the rest of the movie. "Oh, we can totally have fun and play and do our thing!" I think that made it easy for us.
On the infamous conversation about women being "not funny"…
JD: Blah, blah, blah. You know what? You can quote me. Women aren't funny. They're just not. Everybody wins. There you go.
JC: We just think people are either funny or they're not. How do you know? You either f**king laugh or you don't. We don't ever think about being women while we're working. I'm not trying out my new period jokes on Jamie. "I hope that this one lands!" We just crack each other up. Actually, that's the secret to our overall relationship and collaboration. We really make each other laugh. We're not laughing at each other because I'm like, "Oh my God, her boobs are so funny!" when she's running around on stage. No. It's your brain. It either turns somebody on or it doesn't. The rest of it is people that are just, I guess, scared.
JD: I agree, except with the caveat that Jessica's boobs are very funny when they are running around onstage.
JC: You're right. I apologize. That's something men don't have. Funny boobs.
JD: Ha. Suck it, men. You're not as funny as women because your boobs aren't funny.
JC: Did your boobs get their own credit in the movie, Adam Carolla?
JD: No they did not.
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Rena Riffel Films
At last, Showgirls 2: Penny’s From Heaven is out on the guilty pleasure-friendly format: DVD. (While original Razzie favorite Showgirls belly-flopped on the big screen, it’s still one of the highest grossing DVDs of all time).
Rena Riffel, star of Showgirls and Mulholland Drive turned camp icon, has been pulling the g-strings on her directorial oeuvre since the original wrapped back in ’94 and is celebrating the release this week.
We spoke to her about the movie’s journey from Michael Bay blockbuster to DIY erotic ‘trashterpiece’ for this Hollywood.com exclusive.
Hi Rena, thanks for talking to Hollywood.com. So, why do you think Penny/Hope - your character in Showgirls and the star of your sequel - resonated so much with fans?
She means well and wants to succeed, but everyone just thinks she's a dum-dum. She’s like the underdog we can cheer her on to make it to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She’s kind of Marilyn Monroe in Gentleman Prefer Blondes or Some Like It Hot: very innocent, but she’s like a piece of meat in a lair of wolves.
Rena Riffel Films
What's the AA-cup version of the movie storyline?
Penny Slot drops everything and hitchhikes down the road to her dream of finally being a famous dancer on TV show Star Dancer. She finds herself in danger, running from the law and ultimately has a near-death experience.
This sequel's been in the pipeline for a long time - can you run us through its odyssey briefly?
In my late thirties, I realized I was getting too old to play myself – so I better do this now! I wrote for a year, for 12 hours a day. I wrote 28 very different drafts. I had people contact me, but nothing worked out. I went through some unfortunate drama and turmoil. On a good note, I sent my script to Paul Verhoeven [who directed the original] who said he liked it very much and gave me his blessing.
Rena Riffel Films
I was trying to raise millions of dollars, but towards the end of the uphill battle, I settled on going for a lower budget of 8 million. They read my script and did the Hollywood thing: “Reese Witherspoon will play Penny, they will bring in a big director like Michael Bay, and hire a big writer (the Coen Brothers) to come on board,” and I said, “Wait a second, then what would I do?” So, that's when I just threw in the towel and decided to make it the way I made Trasharella. All by myself, with the help of friends.
Showgirls is still in the top highest-grossing MGM DVDs of all time. Are you expecting similar wildfire sales?
I wish! It will be interesting to see how this turns out. If it doesn't make money, it's not like I’m 100 million in debt on it!
You've referred to this project as 'pulling a Barbra' - please elaborate?
Showgirls 2: Penny's From Heaven is my Yentl (which was nominated for Oscars AND Razzies). Yentl was Barbra's directorial debut, but it took 15 years for her to get it made. She also dealt with everyone thinking she was too old to play the lead role.
The critics had a field day with Showgirls, but it’s won some high-profile fans since. What’s your dream review for this?
I guess it would be like, “Showgirls 2 is perfect imperfection. A job well done by Director/ Writer/ Producer/ Editor/ Dancer/ Craft Service/ Key Grip and star, Miss Riffel. Two "thumbs" up, all "stars" clicked, we "like" buttoned it, etc.!”
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Corey Ransberg/Lionsgate
The very best thing a horror movie can do is get you so invested in the characters that it's the very idea that they are in danger that troubles you. Not the frequency of gore or the creepiness of the killers at large. And for a while, there, that's what You're Next seems to be up to: really immersing you in the family Davison. An uneven clan of resentful, emotionally distant WASPs, there is just as much tension before the killings begin during their countryside weekend getaway as there is midway through the bloodbath. The defining difference: the earlier stuff is a bit more fun.
Middle-aged married couple Paul (Rob Moran) and Aubrey (Barbara Crampton) retreat to their gigantic vacation home in the middle of nowhere, gathering each of their grown children (and their respective significant others) together for a moreover unpleasant dinner. The occasion is ambiguous, although it is suggested that the family is trying to mend some long-tattered fences with this reunion. As such, the meal proceeds with spiteful comments, passive-aggressive comebacks, and a general feeling of discomfort for the only sane one in the room: Erin (Sharni Vinson), second son Crispian's (AJ Bowen) Australian girlfriend and former student. And then, murders.
Corey Ransberg/Lionsgate
Lots and lots of murders. For no discernible reason, the family finds itself the victim of a team of eerily masked home invaders packing machetes and crossbows, bent on slaying each and every one of the dumbfounded Davisons. Naturally, as the characters fall, the stakes rise. But we lose more than bodies with each killing — we lose the fun. The fun in hearing adult siblings argue about which one of them is the fastest and as such most capable of running to get help. The fun in brothers bickering pettily about life choices while one has an arrow lodged in his upper back (that's Joe Swanberg, far and away the funniest player in the movie). Once the stars begin to get picked off with greater speed, there are fewer opportunities for these family squabbles.
The cat and mouse game to follow, however, is one a few notches above that of a normal horror flick, thanks entirely to the charms, quirks, and skills of guest Erin. Still, what we have from the second act on is a horror movie — a fun one, but nothing more. As You're Next seems to paint itself with the inventive countenance of something like Cabin in the Woods, you might be entering the game with expectations set high. Lower them just a bit, not too much. What you'll have in store is not a colorless slasher picture — it's a fun, funny, occasionally startling, and temporarily interesting. But rest assured, it's nothing too far outside the box, either.
3/5
More:'You're Next' Is a Horror Buff's Dream Come TrueCan Horror Survive in a Post-'Cabin in the Woods' World?A Bloody Beat Box Remix of the Cornetto Trilogy
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Oprah Winfrey is a marketing machine and the evidence is clear as the true life biopic Lee Daniels' The Butler tops the chart this weekend with an impressive $25.01 million. The film is already generating Oscar buzz with Forest Whitaker's portrayal of a butler who served under numerous U.S. Presidents for 34 years garnering much praise from audiences and critics alike. This is the first number one opening weekend for The Weinstein Co. since 2009's Inglourious Basterds and proves that when Oprah endorses anything, whether a book or a movie, audiences listen.In second place with $17.78 million is Warner Bros.' R-rated comedy We're the Millers which impressively of all the wide release films for this Summer, had the best second weekend at hold at just 33%. The film is just shy of the $70 million mark in North America.Third place goes to Sony's R-rated sci-fi thriller Elysium which in its second weekend blasted up another $13.6 million against a 54% drop after a first place debut last weekend and $55.9 million to date in North America. The Matt Damon film directed by District 9's Neil Blomkamp earned an estimated $22 million overseas this weekend, bringing its cume to $37.7 million internationally and $93.6 million worldwide.Universal's Kick Ass 2 came in much lower than expected for a fourth place debut of $13.568 million, the original Kick Ass opened in April of 2010 with a number one debut of $19.8 million and many were expecting a number in that range for the R-rated action sequel this weekend. Internationally the film fared better opening in 17 territories this weekend and grossed an estimated $6.3M at 1,500 dates.The Top 5 is rounded out by Disney's animated Planes in its second weekend with $13.14 million and $45.09 million to date while Open Road's Steve Jobs biopic Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher in the titular role also opened to a less than expected $6.7 million in seventh place as did the Harrison Ford film Paranoia from Relativity Media in the number 13 spot with $3.5 million.Only two more weekends left in the summer movie season and we are running nearly 11% ahead of the season at the same point last year.Top Movies for Weekend of August 16 - August 18 (Estimates)Rank Movie Gross Theaters Avg.Per YTD Distributor01 Lee Daniel's The Butler $25.01M 2,933 $8,527 $25.01M TWC02 We're the Millers $17.78M 3,325 $5,347 $69.5M Warner Bros.03 Elysium $13.6M 3,284 $4,141 $55.9M Sony/Tri-Star04 Kick-Ass 2 $13.568M 2,940 $4,615 $13.568M Universal05 Planes $13.14M 3,716 $3,536 $45.09M Disney06 Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters $8.375M 3,080 $2,719 $38.9M Fox07 Jobs $6.7M 2,381 $2,814 $6.7M Open Road08 2 Guns $5.572M 2,471 $2,255 $59.2M Universal09 The Smurfs 2 $4.6M 2,349 $1,958 $56.9M Sony10 The Wolverine $4.425M 2,058 $2,150 $120.45M Fox

By now, we know what we're getting ourselves into when we sign on for a new buddy cop movie: One's a hardnosed, by-the-book professional with a no nonsense attitude and a suffering personal life. The other's a fun-loving renegade who uses alternative methods to get the job done, but incurs the wrath of all those trying to uphold protocol. Oh, and they're both dudes. We don't know why that is part of the regimen, but it is an element that has been rigidly maintained through the Lethal Weapons, the Rush Hours, the 48 Hrs, and good ol' Starsky and Hutch. But Paul Feig's The Heat lays waste to this arbitrary pattern, casting Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy as a pair of officers who do wonders with the age old trope.
Vexingly, a great deal of cinematic traditions are dominated by male actors and characters. When you think of mob movies, of crime thrillers, of screwball comedies, of science-fiction and fantasy, or of animated adventures, you're bound to think immediately of the vast number of men who have brought these stories to life on screen. But scattered throughout an industry that seems to opt for old hat over new and inventive are the outlying gems that prove that women can deliver these sorts of films with the same majesty and entertainment as their male counterparts.
The Silence Of The LambsGenre: ThrillerHeroine: Clarice Starling, played by Jodie FosterThe theme of gender provide quite a hurdle for Clarice Starling. But in and beyond her universe, she trounces these barriers, becomingperhaps the most memorable FBI agent in cinema history.
The Quick and the DeadGenre: WesternHeroine: Ellen, played by Sharon StoneThe Western is likely more male-dominated than any other genre, which is why Sharon Stone's turn at the head of the 1995 film proves all the more riveting,
AlienGenre: Sci-fiHeroine: Ripley, played by Sigourney WeaverSurrounded by male officers, secret cyborgs, and homicidal aliens, Sigourney Weaver is still the most gripping aspect of Ridley Scott's classic Alien, her strength and nobility never waning as she treads into the most dangerous and horrifying territories imaginable.
Thelma and LouiseGenre: Outlaw movieHeroines: The titular characters, played by Susan Sarandon and Geena DavisEarning audience yehaws no lower in volume than those conjured by Butch and Sundance, heroes Thelma and Louise make for one of the most cherished outlaw films in recent history, not to mention the most moving.
FargoGenre: Crime dramaHeroine: Marge Gunderson, played by Frances McDormandWe love William H. Macy, ya, and that Steve Buscemi is a hoot, dontchaknow. But Fargo is far and away Frances McDormand's movie.
Kill BillGenre: Assassin/martial arts movieHeroine: Beatrix "The Bride" Kiddo, played by Uma ThurmanQuentin Tarantino's female characters have always been impressive, with his sword-wielding Beatrix topping the lot in her martial arts adventure. The character exhibits an all-powerful love for her daughter, which drives her through countless bloody missions in the modern classic two-parter.
UnderworldGenre: Vampire movieHeroine: Selene, played by Kate BeckinsaleTrue, there were female heroines in the vampire genre before Beckinsale (yes, we want to give Buffy her rightful nod). But the first true and traditionally dark vamp flick with a badass lady at the center was indeed the Underworld series.
HaywireGenre: ActionHeroine: Mallory Kane, played by Gina CaranoFilled with nonstop action, thrills, gasps, bone snaps, and run-for-your-life moments, Steven Soderbergh's Haywire allows Gina Carano a platform to kick the crap out of every man with whom she crosses paths... which she could very well have done, just as easily, in real life.
BridesmaidsGenre: Screwball comedyHeroines: The lead ensemble, played by Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and Rose ByrneFinally, another from Feig, and a fan favorite at that. Launching McCarthy's career and giving Wiig her first turn as a movie star, Bridesmaids re-opened the discussion of whether women could handle all sorts of comedy as well as men can. Anyone still on the fence has got to watch this movie again, and fast.
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After a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend for the industry, Universal's Fast &amp; Furious 6 looks to make it two in a row at the top of the box office chart with a second weekend gross in the $40 million range (Fast Five dropped 62% in its second weekend, but we expect a slightly lower drop). With $130 million already in the bank after just six days of release in North America (and well north of $300 million globally), the film is already an out and out blockbuster success.
No stranger to summer success is Will Smith, who debuts this weekend in the existential sc-fi movie After Earth from Sony Pictures. The film co-stars Smith's son Jaden Smith who starred in the 2010 hit The Karate Kid. Director M. Night Shyamalan, who has as many detractors as fans, is nonetheless an exciting filmmaker with a distinctive vision. An expected debut of about $30 million should land it easily in second place.
Third place will likely go to Paramount's Star Trek: Into Darkness in its third weekend of release with a weekend gross in the $20 million range and total revenues nearing $200 million in North America. Great word-of-mouth has continued for the second installment of the J.J. Abrams re-boot of the classic franchise.
A real traffic jam may develop in the battle for fourth and fifth place with the second weekend of Fox's animated Epic likely to draw a gross in the high teens and thus find itself in a close race with Lionsgate's magic crime caper film Now You See Me, which is expected to debut in the same range. Featuring a terrific ensemble cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, and Mark Ruffalo, this unique and original drama could find an audience with those looking for something different than the usual summer fare.
The wildcard is the Wolf Pack. Back for its second weekend, Warner Bros. The Hangover Part III could wind up wedging between Epic and Now You See Me depending on the second weekend drop. Of course, Iron Man 3 remains a factor even as it enters its fifth weekend.
Follow Paul Dergarabedian on Twitter @PDergarabedian | Follow Hollywood.com on Twitter @hollywood_com
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With Disney's release of Marvel Comics' much anticipated Iron Man 3 starring Robert Downey, Jr. just three weeks away, speculation as to its opening weekend performance is already running rampant. Certainly $100 million plus for the May 3 through May 5 Friday through Sunday frame is in the box office cards: the original Iron Man back in 2008 pulled in an impressive $98.6 million (plus $3.5M in Thursday previews) and 2010's Iron Man 2 posted an even stronger $128.1 million opening. Tracking surveys currently point to a $125 million debut for Iron Man 3. While it's much too early to get a truly accurate number, that sounds like a pretty safe bet and could even be a bit on the conservative side and we are likely to see that number rise as we get closer to the release date.
Interestingly, last year's The Amazing Spider-Man was projected to earn $125 million in its first six days over the extended Fourth-of-July weekend and wound up with $136.1 million for its first six days in wide release.
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Even more striking (and monumental) was the $207.4 million all-time record breaking opening weekend for 2012's Marvel's The Avengers. Opening weekend speculation started months before the film's release with numbers starting out as "low" as $125 and then as the release date got closer and closer the speculated number kept going up. The number about two weeks prior to the film's release was $150 million and then suddenly in the home stretch about a week before the film's release in North America, the international number of $178.4 million in 39 international territories upped the ante and drove the projection up into the $175 million to $180 million range. In the final couple of days before the domestic Friday May 4 release date there were even some grumblings of an unthinkably huge $200 million opening weekend and, of course, that's exactly what happened.
RELATED: 'The Avengers' Posts Huge Global Box Office!
This takes us back to Marvel's latest potential box office juggernaut, Iron Man 3 and yet another chance to go through the ups and downs of opening weekend speculation in the days leading up to the film's release. Will it earn the $125 million that is now the magic number? Will it wind up higher or lower? What do you think Iron Man 3 will earn in its opening weekend?
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